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Spanish in Spain
A Basics and Beyond guide to the slang, history of Spanish, books, movies, music, and food in Spain.
2011 Edition
August E. Flanagan
© 2011 Lenguajero.com
INTRODUCTION
2
Bienvenidos a Spanish in Spain: Basics and Beyond. Whether you are
learning a little bit of Spanish for your first trip to Spain, or whether you
have been studying the language for some time, this guide will have
something in it for you.
However, Spanish in Spain: Basics and Beyond is not meant to teach you
Spanish. It assumes that you have at least a basic grasp on the language,
and that you are making active efforts to improve your Spanish. This guide
is for intermediate Spanish students.
The goal of this guide is very simple; to help you improve your Spanish
by introducing you to real Spanish words and phrases that you will hear
spoken on the street, in bars, restaurants, and homes while you are visiting
Spain.
But simply giving you a vocabulary list wouldn’t be enough. I want to
empower you to improve your Spanish by helping you understand more
about the language and the Spanish culture. I also want to help you
improve by providing you with recommendations for authentic materials
that I know will help your Spanish reach the next level. Specifically, books,
music, and movies that I have enjoyed while learning Spanish myself.
Finally, I didn’t want to hand you a 300 page book and say “OK, now go
learn all about colloquial Spanish.” Instead, Spanish in Spain: Basics and
Beyond was designed to be short, fun, and informative, while leaving
plenty of room for personal exploration into the language.
INTRODUCTION
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Spanish in Spain: Basics and Beyond is presented in 4 acts
Act I - The (Ancient) History of the Spanish Language in Spain
Act II - The Slang in Spain is Anything but Plain: 101 words and
phrases you won’t find in your Spanish textbook
Act III - Los Artes: Expand your Spanish with books, movies, and
music
Act IV - Tapas: The Essentials Collection
HISTORY OF SPANISH
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Act I - The (Ancient) History of the Spanish Language
While the section on modern Spanish slang will be the focus of this guide,
it’s valuable (not to mention interesting) to learn more about the history
of the Spanish language. Having lived and studied in several Spanish
speaking countries I was surprised at how little I knew of the origins and
evolution of the Spanish language.
Spanish (español), less frequently referred to as Castilian (castellano) (don’t
worry, we’ll talk about that), has evolved into one of the richest and most
widely spoken languages in the world with more than 500 million speakers,
first or second language.
The evolution of the Spanish language into its modern form has a long
and interesting path. In fact, due to the diversity of the language today, it
is still a rapidly growing language with dozens (if not hundreds) of different
dialects being spoken around the world.
The history of the Spanish language in Spain begins with the
evolution of Vulgar Latin.
During the Second Punic War, which lasted from 218 to 202 BC, Latin
was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by Roman soldiers. The Iberian
Peninsula is the body of land that is modern day Spain and Portugal.
Prior to this, the most common languages on the Iberian Peninsula were
Celtiberian and Basque. Celtiberian was an early Celtic language whose
origins can be traced back to 2000 BC.
With the arrival of the Romans as the major regional power Latin began to
mix with Celtiberian resulting in the emergence of a language referred to
as Vulgar Latin. In fact, the term “Vulgar Latin” referred to the language
of the uneducated, and would have varied greatly across different parts of
the Roman empire., but because Vulgar Latin was only spoken and never
HISTORY OF SPANISH
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written it can not be studied directly.
With the eventual fragmenting and
collapse of the Roman Empire in
the 5th century, Vulgar Latin began
to diverge quickly into the various
Romance languages, of which
Spanish in the most widely spoken.
The other most popular Romance
languages are French, Portuguese,
Italian, Romanian, and Catalan.
The shaping of the modern Spanish language was influenced by
one other major historical event, the conquering of the Iberian
Peninsula by the Moors.
Starting in 711 A.D. and continuing up until the 15th century, the Moors,
an Arabic speaking group, launched a series of invasions of the Iberian
Peninsula eventually capturing and dominating the Peninsula for hundreds
of years. Al-Andalus, from which the name Andalusia (Andalucía) is derived,
was the Arabic name given to the Moorish nation on the Iberian Peninsula.
For hundreds of years Arabic became the dominant language, although
certain areas remained dominated by Christians. As Christian kings began
to reconquer the Iberian Peninsula, languages descended from Vulgar Latin
began returning to areas that had been predominantly Arabic speaking.
The mixing of Arabic words with Latin was a major turning point for the
Spanish language. It is estimated that some 3000-4000 words in modern
Spanish are derived from Arabic.
HISTORY OF SPANISH
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A few common examples of these words include:
aceite (oil) - from the Arabic word az-zayt
ajedrez (chess) - from the Arabic word ash shitrang
albahaca (basil) - from the Arabic word habaqah
café (coffee) - from the Arabic word qahwa
loco (crazy) - from the Arabic word lawqa “fool”
ojalá (“I hope”) - from the Arabic phrase aw šha’ allah “God willing”
Scholars and soldiers spread the modern Spanish language.
The emergence of Castilian (castellano), or modern Spanish, began around
the 13th century in the regions of Castile and Leon. Soon after, King
Alfonso X who was known as the “Learned King”, began converting the city
of Toledo into a cultural epicenter for the region. The king and his scholars
quickly completed a series of translations of various works of science,
medicine, literature, philosophy, etc. into the local dialect of the region,
Castilian.
As the power of the region continued to grow, and its translations were
disseminated across the rest of the Iberian Peninsula, Castilian was
solidified as the dominant language of the region. This influence combined
with the reconquista, the recapturing of Spain and Portugal from the
Moors, quickly led to Castilian being adopted as the official language of
the Spanish government.
Language as the basis of an empire.
One of the most fascinating moments in the history of the Spanish
language took place in 1492. And no, I am not talking about Columbus
sailing to the Americas.
In 1492 Antonio de Lebrija (aka Antonio de Nebrija) completed the
first book of grammar on the Spanish (Castillian) language. In a famous
HISTORY OF SPANISH
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encounter between the writer and Queen Isabella I (to whom the book was
dedicated) the Queen asked de Lebrija “Why would I want this book? I
already know the language.” To which de Lebrija replied, “Your Majesty,
the language is the companion of an empire.”
Of course, Antonio de Lebrija was correct, and the Spanish language soon
became the language of one of the most dominant empires in human
history.
The spread of the Spanish language around the globe is beyond the scope
of this guide. Other Basics and Beyond country specific guides will focus
on the emergence and evolution of the language in various parts of Latin
America. With that said we should pause to recognize to what extent
Spanish has spread around the world.
Here are a few fast facts:
- According to the Journal of Ethnology it is the second most “natively”
spoken language in the world after Mandarin Chinese. (In 1999 800 million
people spoke Mandarin as their native language, 358 million people spoke
Spanish as their first language, and 350 million people spoke English as
their native tongue.)
- Spanish is the official language of 21 countries.
- Spanish is the third most “overall” spoken language (after English and
Mandarin Chinese).
- In the United States 12.6% of the population speak Spanish as their first
language.
HISTORY OF SPANISH
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Modern Spanish in Spain
¿Español o Castellano?
Unlike many other parts of the
Spanish speaking world, in Spain,
it is still common to call Spanish
(español) by its other name, Castilian
(castellano).
In the Spanish Constitution of 1978
the word castellano not español is used to refer to the official language of
the whole State.
The usage of the word castellano is mainly to differentiate from the many
other languages that are still currently spoken in Spain. These languages
include the officially recognized languages Basque, Catalan, Galecian, and
Aranese as well as unofficial languages like Argonese, Leonese, and others.
The term castellano is occasionally used to imply more of a standard form
than español does. For example, if someone mispronounces a word, they
might be told ¡hable castellano!, i.e. 'Speak Castilian!', 'Speak properly!'
For most foreigners (including the author of this guide), it can be difficult
to know when you refer to the language as castellano, and when to use the
more general term español. In general it is acceptable to use either, and
you should not worry too much about which form to use. Exceptions to this
might include: academic settings, regional political rallies, or dinner with
a boyfriend/girlfriend’s parents. I suggest checking with a native speaker
beforehand.
HISTORY OF SPANISH
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Regional Dialects in Spain
As with most countries there are many regional dialects in Spain. These dialects include:
Castilian Spanish - Castellano
Andalusian Spanish - Anadaluz
Canarian Spanish - Canario
Galician Spanish
Murcian Spanish - Murciano or Panocho
It is important to point out that within these regional dialects exist many nuanced dialects specific to smaller geographic or cultural areas. This is quite
common in most languages. For example, in the United States we would
HISTORY OF SPANISH
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consider both a Texan and a Louisianan to speak a “Southern” dialect,
however we would also easily distinguish the regional differences between
the two.
Castilian Spanish
Just when you thought we were done discussing castellano we must now
wade back into the murky waters to discuss its usage as a regional dialect.
The word castellano, in addition to referring to the Spanish language as a
whole, can refer to the regional dialect spoken throughout Northern and
Central Spain.
One of the defining characteristics of the Castilian dialect is what’s known
as distinción and ceceo. Distinción and ceceo both refer to the way in
which the consonants s, c, z are pronounced when preceding a vowel. In
most of Spain, unlike Latin America these consonants are pronounced as
[th], as opposed to s (which is known as seseo).
If you are having trouble imagining this, try saying the word gracias. When
you come to the c press your tongue in between your teeth and exhale as
you say the rest of the word. It should come out gra-thi-as as opposed to
gra-si-as.
Distinción and ceceo are present in other regional dialects as well, and, in
terms of pronunciation, they are the biggest differentiators between Spain
Spanish and Latin American Spanish.
HISTORY OF SPANISH
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Andalusian Spanish
The Andalusian dialect is mainly spoken in these areas: Andalusia, Ceuta,
Melilla and Gibraltar.
One of the biggest lexical differences between the Andalusian dialects
and other dialects in Spain is the use of ustedes instead of vosotros for the
second person plural.
For example:
In Andalucia: ¿Ustedes quieren salir de marcha?
Other castellano dialects: ¿Vosotros quieréis salir de marcha?
Interestingly, during Spanish colonial rule of most of Latin America there
was a mass migration of Andalusians to the colonies. It is thought that this
overwhelming migration is the reason that ustedes is much more common
than vosotros in Latin America today.
Canarian Spanish
Canarian Spanish is the dialect spoken on the Canary Islands. It is very
similar to Andalusian Spanish.
Similarly to the mass migration of Andalusians to Latin America there was
a mass migration of Canarians to the Caribbean. Even today the Spanish
spoken in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and in the Isleño
communities of southern Louisiana is very similar to Canarian Spanish.
One interesting lexical fact is the usage of the “super” diminutive on the
Canarian Islands. Unlike in mainland Spain, it is common to use the -itito
or -itita suffix to express that something is small. For example, un coche
chiquitito or una niña chiquitita.
HISTORY OF SPANISH
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Galician Spanish
Galician Spanish, also referred to somewhat disparagingly as Castrapo
(meaning “old rag”), is the dialect spoken in the northwestern region of
Spain known as Galicia.
What distinguishes Galician Spanish from other dialects is incorporation of
many Galician words and phrases into every day speech. Galician, which
is recognized as one of Spain’s five “official” languages, is quite similar to
modern Portuguese.
Murcian Spanish
The area of Murcia has long
been influenced by the
variety of cultures that have
crisscrossed the land. These
varied influences are clearly
expressed in the Murcian
dialect (often referred to as
Panocho). The Catalan and
Argonese languages, as well
as the Andalusian dialect of
Spanish have probably had
the most influence on the
Murcian dialect.
SLANG IN SPAIN
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Act II - The Slang in Spain is Anything but Plain
This brings us to the most useful section of this guide. At its heart this
guide is all about helping you take your Spanish to new levels. One of the
best ways to do this is to start adding colloquial words and phrases to your
vocabulary. To help you do this I have put together over 100 colloquial
words and phrases that are commonly used throughout Spain.
I have tried to include contextual examples/translations to make it clear
when/where to use these words and phrases. They are all quite common
and using them will help you reach a new level of Spanish.
I should also warn you that there is a section on swearing. This section
might not be for everyone. It is the final section and it is clearly marked.
While there may be some very mild vulgarities in other sections, I have
tried to group most of them in this last section to avoid offending anyone.
Please skip it if it is not for you.
Finally, I’d like to make a couple of suggestions for remembering all this
new vocabulary. When I was learning Spanish I relied heavily on an SRS
flashcard program to help me memorize new vocabulary. In fact, the
SRS flashcard program was so useful that when we built Lenguajero.com
we also built a free online version of an SRS flashcard program for our
members.
A Spaced Repetition System (SRS) is a learning program that schedules
what material you need to study, and when you need to study it, so that
over time the material becomes incorporated into your long term memory.
That is, you will be able to recall the material instantly.
As you review this vocabulary I recommend you make flashcards on
Lenguajero for the words and phrases that you would like to remember.
You can access our flashcard program here - http://www.lenguajero.com/
flashcards If you would like more information about our SRS flashcard
SLANG IN SPAIN
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program you can find out more here - http://blog.lenguajero.com/srsflashcard-program
OK, let’s get to the good stuff. Here are over 100 words and phrases that
will take your Spanish to the next level.
Describing People/Situations/Things
Tío/Tía - Informal way to refer to a man/woman. Similar to guy/girl or dude/
chick. Literally means “uncle/aunt”.
¡Oye! ¿Tío adónde vas? - Hey! Dude where are you going?
Tío bueno/Tía buena - A hot guy or hot girl
¡Mira a esa tía buena! - Look at that hot girl!
Chaval/chavala - Boy/girl, kid
Eduardo es un buen chaval - Eduardo is a good kid.
Casero - A landlord
Necesito mandar un cheque a mi casero. - I need to send a check to my
landlord.
Friki - A nerd, geek
Yo soy un friki. Paso mucho tiempo en frente de mi ordenador. - I’m a nerd.
I spend a lot of time in front of my computer.
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Guiri - Foreigner. This can be derogatory or affectionate depending on the
context.
Hay un montón de guiris aquí. - There are a ton of foreigners here.
Nene/nena - Baby, babe, chick. Used in the same way as “Hey baby”
A mi me gusta esa nena. - I like that chick.
Legal - When used to refer to a person it means “someone you can trust”.
Es un tío legal. - He’s a trustworthy guy.
Gente maja - Same as referring to a person as Legal.
Él es gente maja. - He’s good people (i.e. he is a good person).
Un chorbo, una chorba - Boyfriend/Girlfriend (specifically of someone else)
Ella es la chorba de Miguel - She is Miguel’s girlfriend.
Un pijo/una pija - A yuppie or posh person. Generally considered an insult.
The adjective can refer to a fancy place (un restaurante muy pijo - a fancy
restaurant).
¿Has visto a los nuevos vecinos? Son pijos verdaderos. - Have you seen the
new heighbors? They are real yuppies.
Una maruja - A housewife, or someone who gossips too much.
No seas maruja. - Don’t be a housewife (gossiper).
Un/una pureta - Younger people refer to older people as “puretas”.
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Viejo verde - Equivalent to “Dirty old man” in English.
Él no me cae bien. Es un viejo verde. - I don’t like him. He’s a dirty old man.
El/la facha - Slang for facist. The word is commonly used to describe
anyone/anything that is extremely conservative politically or socially.
Quiero ir al mitin porque estoy hasta los huevos con nuestro presidente
facha. - I want to go to the rally because I am fed up with our facist
president.
Ciento y la madre - Too many people
Fuimos al bar pero hubo ciento y la madre allí. - We went to the bar, but
there were too many people there.
Un buen/mal rollo - Something good/bad
Meterse en asuntos de pareja es siempre un mal rollo. - To get involved in
a couple’s affairs is always a bad idea.
Enrollarse bien/mal - To get along well/poorly
Mis compañeros y yo nos enrollamos bien. - My schoolmates and I get
along well.
Tener un rollo - To have a fling
Juan y Natalia tienen un rollo. - Juan and Natalia are having a fling.
Ser un rollo/rollazo - To be a bore (a situation or a thing)
El evento fue un rollo/rollazo. - The event was a bore.
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Tener mala leche - To have a bad temper
Mi jefe tiene mala leche. - My boss has a bad temper.
Estar de mala leche - To be angry
Estoy de mala leche. Quise ir al cine pero ahora tengo que quedarme en
casa porque mi madre me necesita ayudar a preparar la cena. - I’m in a bad
mood. I wanted to go to the movies (cinema), but now I have to stay home
because my mom needs me to help prepare dinner.
Ser la leche - To be something/someone very good or very bad. The
meaning depends on the context.
Sara es la leche. Siempre olvida traerme los libros - Sara is the worst. She
always forgets to bring me my books.
Sara es la leche. Me trajó los libros - Sara is the best. She brought me my
books.
Tener mala pata - To have bad luck
Yo tengo muy mala pata. Siempre estoy perdiendo mis llaves. - I have the
worst luck. I am always losing my keys.
Un gafe - a jinx/curse
Ser un gafe - To be unlucky/cursed
Marina es un gafe. - Marina is unlucky.
Ser una lata - To be a pain (refers to a situation)
¡Qué lata! Tengo que estudiar toda la tarde. - What a pain! I have to study
all afternoon.
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Ser una tocapelotas - To be a pain (refers to a person). Mildly vulgar, it’s
like saying “pain in the ass” though the literal translation is closer to “ball
breaker”.
No quiero que Juan venga con nosotros. Él es una tocapelotas. - I don’t
want Juan to come with us. He’s a pain in the ass.
Ser agarrado - To be tightfisted/cheap
¡No seas agarrado! Te toca comprar una ronda. - Don’t be cheap! It’s your
turn to buy a round.
Ser de cajón - To be obvious
Era de cajón que él no iba a pagar la cuenta. Nunca paga nada. - It was
obvious that he wasn’t going to pay the bill. He never pays for anything.
Ser un cachondo/una cachonda - To be funny/amusing
Don’t confuse this with estar cachondo/cachonda - To be horny (vulgar)
Roberto es un cachondo. Debe ser cómico profesional. - Roberto is really
funny. He should be a comedian.
Ser un/a chapas/plasta - To be annoying
Este tío es un chapas/ plasta, no me deja en paz. - This dude is really
annoying. He won’t leave me alone.
Ser un crack - To be exceedingly good at something (by being a genius).
Natalie es un crack de la matemáticas. - Natalie is a math genius.
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Ser una máquina - To be exceedingly good at something (through hard
work). Literally “To be a machine.”
Mi hermana es una máquina. Trabaja muy duro para ser una buena
doctora. - My sister is a machine. She works really hard to be a good
doctor.
Ser un muermo - To be so boring that you fall asleep. Also used to
describe a setting that is “dead”.
Este bar es un muermo - This bar is dead.
Ser un pelota - To be a suck up (ass-kisser)
Hay un gerente en nuestra empresa que es un pelota. No hace nada
más. - There is a manager in our company who is a suck up. He doesn’t do
anything else.
Hacer la pelota - To suck up to someone
¡Deja de hacerle la pelota al jefe! - Stop sucking up to the boss!
Ir a su bola - To do one’s own thing
A Juliana le gusta ir a su bola. - Juliana likes to do her own thing.
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Describing Moods/States of Mind
Un bajón - A bummer/downer
El anuncio que nuesto partido había perdido fue un bajón. - The
announcement that our party had lost was a bummer.
Estar de bajón - To be down/to be blue
Estar depre - To be down/depressed
¿Qué pasa? ¿Por qué estás depre/de bajón? - What’s up? Why are you
down?
Ser un/a depre - To be a pessemist
No le prestes atención, él es un depre. - Don’t pay any attention to him.
He’s a pessemist.
Ser un/a borde - To be excessively blunt
Mi hermana es un borde. Lo dice sin pelos en la lengua. - My sister is really
blunt. She tells it like it is.
Ser cabezota - To be stubborn
Cuando yo era niño, era muy cabezota. - When I was young I was very
stubborn.
Estar en las nubes - To be scatterbrained/discombobulated, literally “to be
in the clouds”.
Estar en la luna - To be scatterbrained/discombobulated, literally “to be on
the moon”.
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Tener un cacao mental - To be scatterbrained/out of it, literally “to have a
cocoa brain”.
¿Qué pasa contigo? ¿Tienes un cacao mental o qué? - What’s up with you?
Are you out of it or what?
Estar como una cabra - To be crazy or mad. Literally “to be like a goat”.
Vamos. No quiero quedarme aquí. Ese tipo está como una cabra. - Let’s
go. I don’t want to stay here. That guy is crazy.
Estar chalado - To be crazy or nuts. Not as strong as Estar como una
cabra.
Estar rallando - To repeatedly go over the same things (in your mind)
¡No te ralles! Lo que está hecho está hecho. - Stop going over and over it!
What’s done is done.
Estar loco/a de contento - To be really happy
Voy a ser padre y estoy loco de contento! - I’m going to be a father, and
I’m really happy about it.
Alucinar/Flipar/Estar flipando – to be amazed at something
¡Yo flipo contigo! - I’m amazed by you!
Estar cortado/a - To lose your nerve. Literally “to be cut”.
Quería preguntarle a Stefania que viniera conmigo al baile pero estaba
cortado. - I wanted to ask Stefania to the dance, but I lost my nerve.
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Darse corte - Another way to say “estar cortado/a”.
Quería preguntarle a Stefania que viniera conmigo al baile pero me dio
corte. - I wanted to ask Stefania to the dance, but I lost my nerve.
Faltarle un tornillo - To have a screw loose.
¿Y a ti qué tornillo te falta? - Do you have a screw loose?
Acojonarse - To have your balls in your throat (because you are afraid).
Slightly vulgar.
¡Cuando el hombre saltó de las sombras te acojonabas de veras! - When
the guy jumped out of the shadows you were scared for real!
Eating/Drinking/Going Out
Tapear/Ir de tapas - To go for tapas
¿Quieres ir de tapas? - Do you want to go out for tapas?
Picar - To nibble.
¿Hay algo para picar? - Is there anything to nibble on?
El/La de la vergüenza - The last piece of food/tapa on a shared plate.
Literally means “the one that brings shame” because it is embarrassing to
be the person who takes the last piece.
¿Quien va a comer la de la vergüenza? - Who’s going to eat the last tapa?
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Ponerse ciego a (comida o bebida) - To eat or drink too much of
something
Me he puesto ciego a chocolate, me encanta. - I have eaten way too much
chocolate, I love it.
Comprar/Pagar una ronda - To buy a round (of drinks)
Vamos, compro una ronda. - Let’s go, I’ll buy a round.
Beber como una esponja - To drink like a sponge.
Anoche Diego bebío como una esponja. Creo que tomó once cervezas. Last night Diego drank like a sponge. I think he drank eleven beers.
Estar como una cuba - To be drunk
Estar pedo/peo - To be drunk (slightly vulgar it literally translates “to be a
fart”.)
Despues de tomar once cervezas Diego estuvo pedísimo. - After drinking
eleven beers Diego was super drunk.
Una resaca - A hangover
Apuesto que Diego tiene una resaca horrible esta mañana. - I bet Diego
has a horrible hangover this morning.
Ir/Salir de marcha - To go out and party
¡Son las doce, vamos de marcha! - It’s midnight, let’s go out!
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Ir/Salir de copas - To go out drinking
Este sábado mis amigos y yo vamos de copas. - This Saturday my friends
and I are going out drinking.
Money
La pasta - Money
¿Tienes pasta? - Do you have any money?
Costar un huevo - To cost a lot
Este coche me costó un huevo. - This car cost me a fortune.
Gastarse un huevo - To spend a lot
Me he gastado un huevo en este coche. - I’ve spent a ton on this car.
Clavar - To rip-off. Literally “To hammer”
Una Clavada - A rip-off
El recorrido turístico fue una clavada. Solamente duró hora y media y
pagamos 40 Euros. - The tour was a rip-off. It only lasted an hour and a half
and we paid 40 Euros.
Exclamations
¡Qué guay! - Cool!
¡Qué pasada! – That’s amazing!
¡Venga hombre! - Yeah right!
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¿Qué coño? - What the hell?!? (Fear or surprise)
¡Madre mía! - Exclamation of fear or surprise.
¡Qué fuerte! - Wow! Expresses great surprise.
¡Qué mono! - How cute!
¡Qué mierda! / ¡Vaya mierda! – What rubbish/bullshit! (A bit vulgar)
¡Qué cutre! – How aweful!
¡Lárgate! - Get out of here!
¡No me raspes! – Leave me alone/don’t annoy me!
Arguments/Disagreements/Dislikes
Ni fu ni fa - An expression that communicates indifference.
¿Te gustan mis zapatos? Ni fu ni fa. - Do you like my shoes? Meh.
Dar la paliza/lata/chapa - To bug or harrass
Estoy harto de tu hermano. Siempre me da la paliza/lata/chapa. - I’m sick
of your brother. He is always bugging me.
Me importa tres cojones/una mierda/un pito/un huevo - I don’t care at
all. As in “I don’t give a...”
Estar Cabreado - To be pissed off.
Me estás cabreando - You are pissing me off.
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WARNING VULGAR!
Swearing and Sexual Phrases
Cabrón/Cabrona - Asshole/Bitch
Ese tío es un cabrón - That guy is an asshole.
Can also use “cabronazo” in the same way.
Coño, carajo - Slang for the female and male reproductive parts
respectively. Can be used as exclamations of surprise, anger, or to add
emphasis to something. Coño is not very vulgar and is used commonly in
day-to-day conversations.
¿Qué/cómo/dónde coño...? - What/How/Where the hell...?
¿Cómo coño llegamos a la casa de tu hermana? - How the hell do we get
to your sister’s house?
Coñazo - A pain in the ass (figuratively).
Este trabajo es un enorme coñazo - This job is a huge pain in the ass.
Joder - To fuck. Has nearly as many different meanings as “fuck” in English.
The most common usage is probably to refer to “fucking something up”.
Tú lo has jodido hombre. - You’ve fucked it up man.
It can be used as an exclamation of surprise/anger/approval/astonishment
etc. ¡Joder! ¿De dónde vino ese tío? - Fuck! Where did that guy come
from?
SLANG IN SPAIN
27
WARNING VULGAR!
Puta - A prostitute. This word has many, many expressions that can go with
it. See examples below.
Puto/a - The adjective form. It goes in front of a noun to describe it.
No me gusta esa puta ciudad! - I don’t like that fucking city!
Hijo/a de puta - Son of the whore. Equivalent to calling someone a
motherfucker in English. It can also have a positive meaning depending on
the context and the people you are with.
De puta madre - Very good, excellent! Still vulgar, don’t use it with
strangers!
¿Cómo está la comida? Está de puta madre! - How’s the food? It’s fucking
excellent!
Huevos, cojones, pelotas - Testicles, The number of expressions that use
these three interchangable words is almost endless.
Estar hasta los huevos/cojones de... - To be sick of/fed up with...
Estoy hasta los huevos de siempre comer las mismas cosas. Quiero probar
algo nuevo. - I’m sick of always eating the same things. I want to try
something new.
Tener cojones/huevos - To have balls, to be fearless
No tienes los huevos para hacerlo! - You don’t have the balls to do it!
SLANG IN SPAIN
28
WARNING VULGAR!
Tocar los huevos/las pelotas/las narices - To piss someone off.
No me toques los huevos/las pelotas/las narices hombre. - Don’t piss me
off man.
Pasar del culo de alguien - To ignore someone (as in “you are dead to
me”)
Paso de tu culo tío. - You are dead to me man.
Dar por culo - To annoy
A ti te gusta mucho dar por culo, ¿no? - You like to annoy people, don´t
you?
Ways to say “Fuck you”
Que te den por culo - Fuck you
Me cago en tu puta madre - Fuck you
La madre que te parió - Fuck you
Mierda - Shit
Vete a la mierda - Leave me alone. Literally “Go to the shit”, it is equivalent
to “Fuck off”
de mierda - fucking...
Inútil de mierda - Fucking idiot
Estoy hasta los cojones con este trabajo de mierda. - I’m fed up with this
fucking job.
BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MUSIC 29
Los Artes: Expand your Spanish with books, movies, and
music
One of the toughest stages to get past when learning Spanish is to move
from the “knowing vocabulary” phase to the “usage” phase. We often
spend a lot of time studying grammar and vocabulary, and, when it is time
to actually start speaking, listening, and reading the language, we find
ourselves surprised at how difficult it can be to make the leap to the next
level.
There is, however, one simple way to overcome this. Roll up your sleeves
and dive into some real Spanish. The great thing about books, music,
movies, etc. is that you can do it on your own time, in your own way.
Remember to be patient when you first start reading and hearing “real”
Spanish. It can seem overwhelming at first, but if you stick with it for a few
weeks you will be shocked at how quickly your comprehension and comfort
level increase.
Books
Stories from Spain - Historias de España - Genevieve
Barlow & William Stivers
This collection of short stories is a “side-by-side” reader.
That is, it has both Spanish and English versions of
the stories. This allows the reader to easily check their
comprehension by first reading a story in Spanish, and
then in English.
Stories from Spain/Historias de España includes 18 wellknown Spanish legends that chronicle almost 1,000 years
BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MUSIC 30
of Spanish history. These stories will introduce you to an array of dynamic
and interesting characters. Moors, kings, nobles, rogues, and pirates are
among those whose tales are told as you travel throughout the country and
its history. As you read these stories side by side, you will not only be finetuning your language skills, but also gaining insight into the rich cultural
heritage of the Spanish people.
Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal - J. K. Rowling
OK, this isn’t from Spain. But, before you throw this guide
aside in disgust, allow me to explain its inclusion.
Aside from being the most popular book series in history,
the Harry Potter books are a very fast read. They are
action packed and the plot moves quickly. That’s a good
thing when you are trying to read in a new language.
The translation of this book from English to Spanish was done by Alicia
Dellepiane, and the slang, grammar, and vocabulary are decidedly “SpainSpanish”. This is a very gentle way to be introduced to a full length book in
Spanish while still learning castellano.
El club Dumas - Arturo Pérez Reverte
Arturo Pérez Reverte is one of the most popular Spanish
authors alive today. While I have only included one book
in this section, if you enjoy his writing style I strongly
encourage you to read some of his other books.
When book dealer Lucas Corso is hired to authenticate
a rare manuscript by Alexandre Dumas he is completely
BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MUSIC 31
unprepared for where his investigation will take him. Corso's investigation
leads him to seek out two copies of a rare book known as De Umbrarum
Regni Novem Portis (The Book of the Nine Doors of the Kingdom of
Shadows).
The book is full of interesting details that range from the working
habits of Alexandre Dumas to how one might go about forging a 17thcentury text, as well as insight into demonology, and the nature of social
constructionism.
La sombra del viento - Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Another incredibly popular contemporary Spanish author,
Carlos Ruiz Zafón completely won me over with La
sombra del viento. You may have heard of the English
translation of the book, The Shadow of the Wind.
Set in Barcelona, this book follows the story of a young
boy named Daniel, and his adventures into the world
of... books.
While that might not be the most fascinating short description I assure you
that the book is one of the most fascinating you will ever read. As Daniel
becomes obsessed with a long forgotten author and his books, his life
begins to strangely mirror that of one of the characters in the book.
BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MUSIC 32
Movies
Watching movies in Spanish is hands down my favorite “learning” activity.
Before making some movie recommendations that will help you improve
your castellano here are three quick suggestions on how to get the most
out of every movie you watch.
1. Watch movies with Spanish subtitles turned on. You never want to
mix English subtitles with the movie, but having the subtitles in Spanish will
make it easier for your brain to parse the words. You’ll be surprised how
quickly you start recognizing phrases and slang that would otherwise sound
unintelligible once you have read and heard it at the same time.
As your Spanish improves gradually begin watching 10-15 minute sections
of the movies without subtitles. Try to work your way up to watching a
whole movie without subtitles after a couple of months.
2. Choose movies that you want to watch. Just because you are
watching movies in a foreign language doesn’t mean you have to watch
“the classics”. Just like in English there are Spanish language movies
of all genres. Choose the ones you like. This is a good directory of
Spanish language movies (from more countries than just Spain) - http://
spanishmoviesonline.com
3. Watch movies more than once. Repetition is key to improving your
aural skills. This is another reason you need to choose movies you like!
You should try watching the same movies several times. My personal
preference is to watch a movie with Spanish subtitles turned on, and then
watch the same movie 3-4 days later without subtitles. I find that this really
helps me understand new phrases and colloquialisms much better.
BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MUSIC 33
Pedro Almodóvar
In Spanish cinema Pedro Almodóvar reigns supreme.
His films often have incredibly complex narratives
(which can make them hard to follow sometimes), and
often include elements of mysticism. Desire, passion,
family and self-identity are among Almodóvar’s most
prevalent themes.
Almodóvar’s most recent (and most famous movies)
include:
Los Abrazos Rotos
Volver
Hable Con Ella
Todo Sobre Mi Madre
Click here for a complete list of his films
El Laberinto Del Fauno
Although this film was written and directed by Mexican
Guillermo del Toro (who will be talked about at length
in our Mexico guide), it is included here because of its
relevance to Spanish history.
Set in 1944 Franco-controlled Spain the movie tells the
tale of a young girl (Ofelia) who along with her mother
is sent to live with a ruthless Spanish army captain who
is battling Spanish rebels. Ofelia escapes the harsh
reality around her by escaping into a world of fairytales and adventure of her own creation.
BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MUSIC 34
Mar Adentro
Directed by the acclaimed Alejandro Amenábar this
2004 film tells the true story of Ramón Sampedro who
was left paralyzed after a diving accident. For 28 years
he then fought a battle for the right to legally end is
life. The movie focuses on Sampedro’s relationships
with two women, one who supports his right to die
and the other who tries to convince him that his life is
still worth living.
Tapas
This 2005 film was directed by José Corbacho and
Juan Cruz. It is centered around a tapas bar in the
suburbs of Barcelona, and focuses on the loosely
connected “secret” lives of those who come and go
from the bar.
BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MUSIC 35
Music
Music. Is there any better way to gain an understanding of a culture than
through its music? And with its rich musical history Spain has plenty to offer
both the casual listener and the die-hard musician.
Historically, the most important music in Spain has been the flamenco.
While it is unclear exactly when the flamenco originated it is thought to be
as early as the 15th century (although the word flamenco does not show up
in the written record until the late 18th century).
Believed to have started in Andalusia, flamenco has evolved rapidly
over the past two centuries drawing heavily from Latin American dance
(specifically Cuban). While there are many different styles of contemporary
flamenco (guitar, dance, song), I recommend checking out these artists for
a light taste of what flamenco is all about.
Camaron de la Isla - Probably the single most important flamenco singer of
all times. He released over a dozen albums before his death in 1992.
Paco de Lucía - One of the most renowned guitarists of all time Paco
de Lucía pioneered the modern flamenco style. He was a good friend of
singer Camaron de la Isla and the two toured extensively together before
the death of de la Isla. He expanded beyond flamenco, and has recorded
classical, jazz, and rock music.
I strongly recommend La fabulosa guitarra de Paco de Lucía (his first solo
studio album) to anyone who enjoys classical or flamenco guitar.
Niña Pastori - Mentored by the late Camaron de la Isla, Niña Pastori has
become one of the youngest and most influential flamenco singers of all
time. Her audiences have included presidents, heads of state, and Pope
John Paul II to whom she sang Schubert's Ave Maria during his visit to
BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MUSIC 36
Madrid in 2003.
Pop Music
Of course there is more to Spanish music than just flamenco. Many
modern Spanish groups enjoy worldwide fame. Here are a few (selected
from different genres) to get you started. Some popular music coming out
of Spain today includes:
Enrique Iglesias - The most famous contemporary Spanish artist is also one
of the most popular artists in Latin America and the United States.
La Mala Rodriguez - María “La Mala” Rodríquez’ is a Spanish rapper
who has built a career out of playing the outsider in the male world of rap
music. She’s been noticed because of her strong femininity and socially
argumentative lyrics. Her hip hop has a flamenco influence.
La Oreja de Van Gogh - This pop group has sold more than 6 million
copies worldwide of their four albums. The themes of their songs typically
include love, friendship and relationships.
Manu Chao - This singer was born in Paris to Spanish parents. He sings in
many languages but his best songs are in Spanish. Time magazine named
"Me Llaman Calle" one of The 10 Best Songs of 2007. His music is often
backed by rhythmic flamenco guitar.
Jarabe de Palo - This rock group wrote their first hit “La Flaca” after a trip
to Cuba.
SFDK (Siempre Fuertes De Konciencia) - Hard-core hip hop music from
Seville. Good luck keeping up!
BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MUSIC 37
You can find all these artists on YouTube or Amazon MP3. There is also a
paid service that I love called LoMásTv. You can watch music videos with
Spanish and English subtitles, slow down songs, create flashcards of song
lyrics, and learn new vocabulary while listening to really good Spanish
language music.
LoMásTv
YouTube
Amazon MP3
Others
BBC Mundo Podcast
This 15 minute podcast Monday-Friday covers global news with a
focus on Spain and Latin America. While many of the country specific
correspondents are not Spanish (and therefore have different accents), the
main host(s) and several correspondents are Spanish. Regardless of accent
this is a great way to passively improve your Spanish for 15 minutes a day
while catching all the latest news.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/mh
Online Newspapers
Spain’s two biggest newspapers, El País and El Mundo are great ways to
learn more about local news, politics, and culture while getting your daily
dose of Spanish.
http://www.elpais.com
http://www.elmundo.es
BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MUSIC 38
For news that is a little more “sensational” go to 20minutos
http://www.20minutos.es/
Notes in Spanish
Notes in Spanish is an excellent “learn” Spanish podcast by Ben Curtis
and Marina Diez. The two live in Madrid and record short (7-15 minute)
podcasts about a variety of subjects. The focus is on using “real” Spanish
words and phrases. Having personally started my own learning process by
listening to every single one of their podcasts I highly recommend them.
Their podcasts range from Beginner to Advanced.
http://www.notesinspanish.com/
TAPAS: THE ESSENTIALS
39
Tapas: The Essentials Collection
Spanish in Spain: Basics and Beyond wouldn’t be complete without at least
mentioning tapas. In fact, all of our country-specific guides have at least
one section that focuses on food. My own experiences have taught me that
food and the traditions that surround it are integral to understanding and
forming bonds with any new culture or community.
The food in Spain goes far beyond tapas, but because tapas and the
traditions associated are so pervasive in Spanish culture (and in the minds
of us guiris who travel there) this the food section is dedicated exclusively
to tapas. Aside from discussing the customs surrounding tapas we will
also look at many of the most popular tapas so that you can learn the
vocabulary necessary to understand exactly what it is that you are ordering.
First, tapas is the plural of the word tapa which means “lid” or “cover” in
TAPAS: THE ESSENTIALS
40
English (though in context it may be more appropriate to translate it to
“appetizer”). According to The Joy of Cooking, tapas were originally slices
of bread or meat that sherry drinkers would place over the tops of their
glasses in between sips in order to prevent fruit flies from getting into the
sweet sherry. Typically the meat would be either ham or chorizo (both still
very popular tapas today). These meats are very salty and cause thirst. This
led tavern patrons to consume more alcohol thus increasing the tavern’s
sales, thus increasing their popularity with tavern owners across Spain.
Another legend surrounding the introduction of tapas involves King Alfonso
X. Remember him? He was the “Learned King” we discussed in the first
section of this book, and it was his kingdom that had the greatest impact
on the early spread of castellano. According to the legend the king fell ill,
and while he was recovering he would eat very small meals and sip wine.
After his recovery he became convinced that it was the small meals and
wine that healed him. He therefore ordered that all taverns serve small
snacks along with wine which would better protect the health of their
patrons. Whether there is any truth to this legend is beyond my knowledge,
though it has been cited in numerous modern articles about tapas.
Regardless of their origin, tapas are now common-place at most bars and
many restaurants across Spain (and many other countries for that matter).
Tapas are typically shared between many people, and the sharing and
conversing that take place while eating tapas is one of the reasons that
they have endured in popularity.
Most bars or small restaurants will have between 4-8 different types of
tapas on any given day. They will be served with your drink (usually one
plate per round), and are often free. Yes, unlike fancy tapas restaurants in
London or New York, tapas at the a local bar in Spain are often free. They
are meant as an accompaniment to your drink, and as long as you keep
drinking the tapas keep coming. This can be a double-edged sword so be
sure to moderate your intake!
TAPAS: THE ESSENTIALS
41
A tapa can be just about anything. The only real criteria is that it is small
and shared. With that said, over time many tapas have become ‘classics’
and are served at most bars. Here are some of the most popular tapas. I’ve
included both the Spanish and English translations to make it easier for you
to order.
Aceitunas: Olives (often stuffed with garlic or red pepper).
Ahumados: Smoked Fish
Albóndigas: Meatballs
Bacalao: Salted cod (usually served with bread/crackers and tomatoes)
Banderillas: Pickled in vinegar (en vinagre) and served cold these usually
include cucumber, olives, onions, and sometime anchovies
Boquerones: Anchovies in oil or vinegar (en aceite o vinagre). Occasionally
served fried.
Calamares: Squid rings
Chopitos (also known as puntillitas): Deep fried baby squid
Chorizo al vino: Chorizo cooked in wine
Croquetas: Deep fried pastry made with fish, chicken, ham, or beef.
Empanadas: A deep fried meat and vegetable turnover
Figatells: A flavorful meatball made with liver, mussels, spices, and other
assorted deliciousness.
TAPAS: THE ESSENTIALS
42
Gambas: Prawns often served “al ajillo” (sauteed in garlic and oil) or “pilpil” (covered with chopped chili peppers)
Langostinas: Langoustines (also known as scampi)
Mejillones: Mussels
Montaditos: Little bite-sized pieces of bread served with a variety of
toppings, jamón (ham) being one of the most popular.
Patatas Bravas: Spicy fried potato wedges. Sometimes served with a spicy
tomato sauce.
Pechinas: Scallops
Pimientos de Padrón: Small green peppers that are lightly fried in olive oil.
Pinchos/pinchas: A type of kebab served on a wooden skewer. These can
include almost anything so just because it’s a pincho doesn’t mean it will be
the same everywhere you go.
Pincho moruno: A Moroccan kebab.
Pulpitos: Baby Octopus
Pulpo: Octopus
Salpicón: Cold chopped fish dish seasoned with pepper, salt, vinegar, and
onion
Sardinas: Sardines
Tortilla española: An omelet served with chunks of potato and onion.
AFTERWORD
43
Espero que te haya gustado esta guía y que hayas aprendido un poco de
la cultura española y sus coloquiales (expresiones familiares).
I hope you have enjoyed this guide, and that you have learned a bit about
the Spanish culture and its colloquialisms.
Your feedback and ideas are incredibly important to me. If you have any
suggestions for improving this guide I would love to hear them.
[email protected]
If you are a Lenguajero.com member (and I hope that you are), I also
appreciate getting feedback on the site. Without our wonderful community
we are nothing. Thanks to everyone who has supported us and helped us
grow. ¡Hasta pronto!
References
The photos in this book were provided by a number of people, including
Lenguajero members.
The photos on pages 3 and 8 are courtesy of Lenguajero member Marcie.
The photos on pages 5 and 12 are from marcp_dmoz
The photo of the delicious looking tapas on page 39 is from José Porras
AFTERWORD
44
About the Author
August Flanagan is a co-founder of Lenguajero.com, an
online language learning community for Spanish and
English learners. He has spent several years traveling and
learning Spanish, including living in Mexico and Colombia
for extended periods of time. When he’s not working on
Lenguajero he’s usually out hiking with his dog Pasa (Raisin),
writing new software, or drinking too much coffee.
Say hi to August on Lenguajero
Contributors
Laura Garrido Eslava is a Spanish language teacher from
Bilbao in northern Spain. She currently lives in Alicante and
for the past five years has been teaching Spanish via the
internet. She teaches live online Skype classes and also
posts free Spanish video lessons every day on her fantastic
blog: http://www.thespanishblog.com.
Her personal interests are music, travelling, reading and cooking. She
studied music for twelve years in Bilbao and plays the piano. She’s also
been known to do some singing from time to time.